No Tapes In Early Tripp Testimony

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, July 1) -- Linda Tripp's first day of testimony before the grand jury Tuesday was designed to "make her human," a lawyer familiar with her testimony told CNN.

A lawyer familiar with Tripp's testimony said no tapes were played during her Tuesday appearance but were on hand and might be used when she resumes her testimony Thursday.

The source was reluctant to provide details of her first day of testimony but said it was designed "to make her human" and involved "mostly her biography, work background and a walk through of her relationship" with former friend and co-worker Monica Lewinsky.

Tripp was before the grand jury all day Tuesday. It was Tripp who secretly recorded 20 hours of her phone conversations with Lewinsky about Lewinsky's alleged relationship with President Bill Clinton.

Tripp turned her tapes over to Independent Counsel Ken Starr, who used them to expand his ongoing Whitewater investigation into the whether Lewinsky and Clinton had an affair and whether Clinton urged her to lie about it under oath.

On the tapes, sources say Lewinsky talks of a sexual relationship with
Clinton. But both Lewinsky and the president have given sworn statements denying that.

An attorney familiar with the White House legal strategy also confirmed
published reports that Starr was asking a judge to enforce a subpoena for notes and other documents in the possession of Investigative Group Inc., a private investigative firm Clinton's personal lawyers hired to conduct a background check of Lewinsky.

The firm's president, Terry Lenzner, previously surrendered his report to Starr -- in response to a subpoena -- but is resisting turning over his notes and other background materials on grounds they are protected by attorney client and "work product" privileges.

Lenzner's work relating to Lewinsky was for Clinton's personal attorney
David Kendall. He also did work in the Paula Jones case for Clinton attorney Robert Bennett.

Meanwhile, the White House spokesman said Wednesday that Tripp's grand jury appearance is in no way distracting from the president's China visit.

"The president has been concentrating on one trip and it's China, not
Linda," Mike McCurry said in Shanghai.